Automobile direction-indicator and wheel-angle gage



J. SIANO. AUTOMOBILE DIRECTION WDICATOR AND WHEEL ANGLE GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16. 192k Patented Sept. 27, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET J. STANO. AUTOMOBILE DIRECTION INDICATOR AND WHEEL ANGLEGAGE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 16. I921.

1,391,701 PatentedSept. 27,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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"- Il'OHN STAND, OF LIVINGSTON, ILLINOIS.

Application filed May 16,

my, w/mm if "my conceive. a

l e it kn wn that I, Join: STANO, a citizen of ('zecho-Slovaki'a;residing at Lii ingston, in the county of Madison and State of Illinois.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomobileDirection-Indicators and WheelAngle Gages, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inautomobile direction indicators and wheel angle gages.

The primary object of the present invention resides in the provision ofa direction indicator for automobiles wherein an indicator arm ispositioned at each side of an automobile engine hood adjacent the frontend thereof and o )eratively connected to the steering knuckles of thefront wheels of the automobile to be turned in the desired direction toindicate the change in travel of the automobile.

A further object of the invention has ref erence to a gage fordetermining the angular positions of the front wheels of an automobilewhen the same has been parked, certain regulations requiring that thewheels be positioned at a certain angle relative to a park- 'in'g line.th'c gage being associated with a direction indicator for determiningthe dircctlon of travel of an antomolule.

With the above general objects in viewand others that will appca as thenature of the invention is better understood. the-same consists in thenovel form. combinatiol-l and arrangement of parts hereinafterlnorefully described in connection with the accompanying drawings. andin which like reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

In the drawings.

Figure l is a front elevational view of an automobile partly broken awayequipped with the present form of direction indicator and wheel anglegage.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the direction indicator and wheelangle gage showing the same mounted upon the chassis frame of anautomobile,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view. taken on line Ill-Ill of Fig. 1showing the .connection between the direction indicator and the steeringknuckle of an automobile.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View, partially in section of the indicator headand wheel knuckle gage showing the same b'ydotted lines in its shiftedposition, p

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sec- Specification of Letters Patent.lilt'tflllt'ttl t'itllt. 2Z

Zttmi 1921. Serial No. 470,032.

tional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 1

'attached to the steering knuckle and Fig. (i is a fragmentaryperspective view of the clamp of the indicator forsra-uring the same tothe automobile chassis.

Briefly described, the present invention 55 aims to provide in a singlestructure. a direction indicator for automobiles and a wheel angle gage.The direction indicator embodies a pair of duplicate membersposit-ionedat opposite sides of the automobile 7 engine hood and havinga base support secured to the forward cross rail of the chassis. Theindicator includes a tubular casing having a vertical shaft journaledtherein and carrying a fixed gear projecting through an open side of thecasing for engagement with an arcuate rack that is connected to thesteering knuckle of the automobile. The upper end of the shaft carries acasing head containing illuminating means and is 30 fashioned to supporta direction arrow. The upper face of the casin head is graduated and hasooperating therewith. an indicator linger fixed to the tubular casinginclosing the rotatable shaft. to indicate the angu-- 5 larity of theindicator arrow and thecorresponding angularity of the front Wheels ofthe autoiuobi-lel' .llcferring more in detail tothc. acconrpauvingdrawings and particularly to Fig.1, there is illustrated anautomobile indicator by the reference character having forward wheels B.steering knuckles and a forward transverse chassis rail I) with a mudguard E associated with each wheel 13.

The direction indicator and wheel angle gage embodies a perpendiculartubular casing 1 having an annular. enlargement 2 adjacent the lower endthereof with the lower end of the casing 1,-formedwith' a solid post 3having a socket 4 in the upper end thereof communicating with theannular enlargement 2 with the post 3 supported on the chassis rail D ateach side of the automobile with the tubular casing 1 extending upwardl'y through the guardsE.

The mounting of the base post '3 upon the chassis rail D is shown moreclearly in- Figs. 1, 2, and 6, the mounting for the post 3 andtubularcasingl embodying a U-shapedi clamp 5 having strap bars 6hingedto one open side thereof as at 7 with the free ends ofthe strapbars threaded as at 6 and adapted to be moved into apertured lu'gs'B andautomobile with a there retained by clamping nuts 6" as shown in Fig. 6,this clamp securely mounting the tubular casing l and base post 3 uponthe chassis'rail D.

A perpendicular rod 9 is rotatably mounted within the tubular casing 1with the lower end thereof extending into the upper socket 4 of the basepost 3, said rod 9 having secured thereto within the annular enlarge.

easing The casin head is of the form best'illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4,the same tapering-- toward its outer end as at '2 with an up standingbracket 14 carried by the outer end of the tapered portion forsupporting an arrow head 15. the outer side wall of the tapered portionof the casing head being provided with a glass cover opening 16 with alam 17, positioned within the casing for reflecting light rays throughthe glass plate 16 which maybe of the desired color, such as White orred.

The wheel angle gage is best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 and embodiesthe formation of an arcuate slot in the upper wall of the casing head 12that is, covered by a glass plate 18 provided with graduations 19. Anindicator arm 20 U-shaped in side elevation as shown in Fig. 2 issecured at one end as at 21 to the upper end of the tubular casing 1,the indicator arm inclosing the rear end of the casing head 12 with theforward pointed end 22 thereof cooperating with the graduations 19 uponthe glass-18. A lamp 23'positioned in the casin head 12 reflects lightrays through the g ass plate 18 to provide for an easy reading at nighttime of the graduated plate-19.

The operating mechanism for the direc-,

tion indicator and wheel angle gage is shown more clearl in Figs. 1, 3,and 5, a semi-circular rack bar 24 having teeth upon the inner facethereof being provided with cordal arms 25 havinr brackets 26 to besecured to the steering nuckle' C of the automobile, the semi-circularrack 2t 'inclosing the annular enlargement 2 of the tubular casin 1 andextending through a side opening sot 2 in the annular enlargement forengagement with the gear 10;

From the above detailed description, it will be understood that theturning movement of the wheels 45 in either direction will cause therack bars 2-1 to rotate the gears 10 upon the rods 5) at each side ofthe consequent shifting movement of the casing heads 12 with thedirection arrows 15 carried thereby, the'arrows determining the changein direction of travel of the automobile. Certain parking regulationsrequire that the front wheels of an automobile be positioned at specificangles with reference to a parking line and the angularity of the wheels13 is readily determined by the indicator arm 20 cooperating with thegraduated plate 18 as shown in Fig. 4, the operator ofthe automobilebeing in a position to clearly read the gage and assisted during nightby thelamp 23.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment ofthe present inrention. it is nevertheless to be understood that minorchanges may be made in the novel form, combination and arrangement ofparts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asclaimed.

'hat is claimed as new is:

1. An automobile direction indicator and wheel angle gage con'iprising atubular casing adapted to be secured to a chassis bar of the automobile,a rod journaled in said casing, cooperative connections between said rodand the steering knuckles of the automobile, a direction indicator andwheel angle age carried by the upper end of the tubu ar casing and rod,said direction indicator and wheel angle gage embodying a 95 hollowcasing head fixed to the upper end 'of said rod and overlying thetubular casing,

a bracket carried by the casing head, an arrow head carried by saidbracket, an arcuate dial upon the upper face of said casing I head andan indicator arm carried by said tubular casing and overlying saidcasing head to coiiperate with said dial.

2. An automobile direction indicator and wheel angle gage comprising atubular casing adapted to be secured to a chassis bar of the automobile,a rod journaled in said casing, cooperative connections between said rodand the steering knuckles of the automobile, a direction indicator andwheel angle gage carried by the upper end of the tubular casing and rod,said direction indicator and wheel angle gage embodying a hollow casinghead fixed to the upper end of said rod and overlying the tubularcasing,a bracket carried by the casing head, an arrow head carried bysaid bracket, an arcuate dial upon the upper face of said casing head,an indicator arm cotiq'ierating with said dial, and a' U-shapcdindicator arm fixed to said tubular casing and inclosing the rear end'ofsaid casing head with the upper end thereof extending over said casinghead for cooperation with said dial.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JOHN STANO. \Vitnesses J on: LABANC, Loans Bozus.

